| Best strategies for
untangling phone rates |
 |
New York software
developer Tracy Herring is free of more than phone cords.
|
RACY
HERRING is cutting the cord. By day, the 26-year-old Manhattanite
carries a cell phone for emergencies only (her $19.95-a-month plan
gives her just 15 minutes of free daytime calls). But evenings and
weekends, she has unlimited free calls in her tri-state area, so
she often uses the cell phone. Dialing friends in Hoboken, N.J.,
through her long-distance carrier costs 10 cents a minute; on the
cell phone, it's free.
Herring pays attention to her calling habits and uses her phone
service accordingly. You should do the same to find the best plan
for you:
- Clutter haters. AT&T's new "Personal Network"
service offers a flat 10-cent rate on long-distance, calling-card
and cellular calls made from your local area for $29.99 a month.
All charges show up on one bill. But note: You can do as well
(or better) on many of those items by buying them unbundled.
- Weekend callers. Sprint Unlimited offers dime-a-minute
weekday calling on long-distance and local calls and no-charge
calling on weekends, for $25 a month. If you make two hours
(or more) of calls each weekend, it's a bargain.
- Constant talkers. You want a low rate 24 hours a day,
every day. Save a penny a minute over the standard dime by buying
from MCI on the Web (www.mciworldcom.com). The hitch: Customer-service
questions are handled via e-mail.
- Cellular junkies. Look for cellular service that's
cheap enough to use all the time. AT&T's Digital One Rate
offers 600 minutes a month with no long-distance or roaming
charges for $89 (15 cents a minute). Sprint is cheaper, but
the network is not as substantial; make sure the service goes
where you do. Want the phone for emergencies only? You don't
have to buy service; just charge the battery. FCC regulations
require all 911 calls to be put through.
Q: I want
to buy shares of stock direct from companies. Can you send
me a list of companies I can buy direct?
Wallace E. Hanson, Elgin, Ill.
That list would be a book; more than 1,000 companies offer direct
shares. You'll find a free list online at www.netstockdirect.com.
Or get the DRIP Investor newsletter for $59 a year (1-800-233-5922).
Caveats: Direct investing isn't necessarily free:
Watch fees for getting in and out. Some programs charge more
than others; you may do better with an online or deep-discount
broker. Also, buying direct limits flexibility. Companies
often hold on to all the funds that come in, then purchase
or sell once a day or even once a week. That's fine if you
plan on holding long-term; otherwise, a broker is a better
idea.
Photo Credit: CHARLES R. SMITH, JR. for USA WEEKEND
